The Prey And The Predator
by Sakura.x.Blossom
Summary: - "You can't let your guard down for even a second. Prey need to strain their minds all the time and run around... in the presence of a predator." -OrochimaruxOC, OroOC- Discontinued.
1. I: Caught

**The Prey And The Predator  
Chapter One: Caught.**

Haruka stared unhappily at the thick downpour of rain that kept her from leaving this dull village.

She sighed and tucked a white strand of spiky hair behind her ear. She really wanted to get back to Konohagakure before Jiraiya-nii-san left, if only to apologize to him.

Sandaime – she really did love him but sometimes he was such an idiot – had sent her on a mission that had lasted a month. When she returned, Jiraiya would probably be gone to search for Orochimaru.

That had been fine with Haruka at the time, as she was angry with her brother for refusing to let her come with him to look for and then spy on Orochimaru.

He had told her flatly that she wasn't yet good enough if they got into a fight with the snake Sannin. She had argued that she was nearly as good as a Jounin and that the Sannin rank didn't exist for anyone aside from the legendary three since they had only gotten the rank because they had survived an attack by Hanzo – the leader of Amegakure – and then fled back to the village.

Jiraiya had gotten furious at that and, glaring at her, had coldly told her that even though she _was_ a Chuunin, she had barely scraped by the examination.

They hadn't spoken since, Haruka having gone away on mission immediately and Jiraiya locking himself away in his apartment.

Another sigh breezed its way into the open and she glanced around at her dismal room. It had the bare necessities – not that she really expected much from this village. The people here were so... expressionless. It scared the hell out of her.

She propped her chin on top of her open hand and leant on the windowsill with her elbows. The rain appeared to be ebbing slightly. Haruka groaned. She wanted to do _something_, not just this sitting and waiting.

Even her mission had been boring! The entire mission had pretty much been a wild goose-chase. Some of the locals had reported seeing a '_scary looking pale-skinned man with snake-like eyes and a sly grin_.' It _had_ to be Orochimaru, she was so sure of that. But all her searching had been for nothing. She hadn't found so much as his scent.

The rain stopped abruptly as if it was her shower and she had turned off the tap. Well, perhaps not _exactly_ like that, but something like it.

Haruka grinned and jumped up, shouldering her backpack and running out of her room. Now she could get the hell out of here!

She passed the reception desk, then frowned and backtracked. It was empty. The whole hotel was silent as if in mourning for something. She shivered, exiting the hotel. It was creepy.

The streets were devoid of life as well. Haruka's frown grew as she walked through the streets and alleys, often glimpsing things just out of the corner of her eye.

She passed through the gates and narrowed her eyes. There weren't even any guards here. These people were so slack on security. If they _had _spotted Orochimaru, guards around the walls should have been doubled, if not tripled.

A harsh wind blew at her incessantly and she broke into a run. Maybe it was just her imagination, but she felt eyes staring at the back of her neck.

The forest rushed by her in a blur as she put on speed and she swore she could hear branches rustling as someone – _she knew who it was_ – followed her quietly.

A kunai flew past her and sliced her hand. She cried out in shock, even though the wound wasn't very deep.

Then came mocking, pitiless laughter that came from everywhere.

"Come on, Haruka-chan. _Entertain_ me," that familiar voice purred and Haruka gasped and started to run again, slightly faster this time.

Adrenaline pumped through her veins and she kept on running, breath coming out in pants now.

No one would come to save her if Orochimaru captured her. They would, however sad at her supposed death, assume that she was M.I.A. even Sandaime who knew what her mission was.

She was running and then something wrapped around her right leg and yanked her to the ground. Haruka fell, eyes wide in fear. Something hissed at her from the forest floor.

He appeared in front of her, fangs emerging in a spiteful grin.

"Don't...," she whispered, pleading and then there were only the eyes and she screamed as swords pierced her body.

The world blacked out.

(I)

Orochimaru drummed his fingers, slowly, on the arm to his throne. He was waiting for her to wake up and he was tired of waiting.

Drum. Pause. Drum. Pause. Pause. Drum.

"Is she awake?"

A medic, standing nearby, closed his eyes. "Not yet, Orochimaru-sama."

There was a long drawn out hiss. "Wake her _up_ then."

"It may interfere with the process, Orochimaru-sama."

Hiss. "Fine... Tell me when she wakes."

"Hai, Orochimaru-sama."

A merciful silence ensued until Orochimaru started to drum again. Aki sighed softly. This was fraying his nerves. His master was in an odd mood and when he was in an odd mood people _died_. Orochimaru wouldn't kill him, for he was too useful, but... when he was like this... Aki honestly didn't know what would happen. It changed all the time.

As for the woman... he had no idea why Orochimaru was interested in her. She was out cold and lying on the floor of a cage that Orochimaru had recently installed.

She bore a strong resemblance to the Toad Hermit Jiraiya. Aki had never known he had a sister, or even a daughter. She could have been either.

He glanced at the woman and almost groaned in relief. She was starting to wake up. When she was fully awake he could get the hell out of here.

"Orochimaru-sama, she's waking up."

The other man started to laugh. It was a cold, malicious laugh that Aki had heard many times. The laughter died eventually and Orochimaru stood slowly. "Leave me."

Aki glanced from Orochimaru to the woman, then bowed with a murmured, "Hai, Orochimaru-sama."

He made it to the door before looking back to see Orochimaru with a large malevolent grin on his face and to hear the snake Sannin hissing something.

"Haruka."

(I)

Haruka stirred, opened her eyes, groaned and shut them again. There was a bright light burning her eyes. It was either Jiraiya playing a mean joke on her, or she'd gotten drunk last night and left the blinds open.

Then it occurred to her that Jiraiya probably wasn't in the village anymore and this place didn't smell like her apartment.

She opened her eyes again and gasped silently as white-hot pain shot through her body. A groan forced itself past her lips and familiar contemptuous laughter sent chills down her spine.

"Haruka."

More pain made her bite her bottom lip hard and draw blood. It took her a few moments before she could choke out a reply.

"O... Orochimaru...! W... What are...?"

He laughed again. "What am I doing?"

She groaned a little, which he took for a yes.

"Oh, just something to kill time." She looked up at him and his sadistic smile made her feel sick. "You know how it is."

"You... b... bastard..."

"Mmm... Yes," he chuckled. "You are in no position to insult your host though."

Haruka shifted on the cold metal floor. The pain had cleared enough for her to get a grasp on her surroundings. She was in a small metal cage that was probably used for some sort of animal, judging by the assorted bones scattered across the floor. There was also dried blood on the floor of the cage. She felt sick again.

She glanced back up at him briefly. Orochimaru looked almost the same as he did when he left the village nearly a year ago. His skin was deathly pale and his face was framed by straight, long black hair. His eyes were the same. They were still the greenish-gold that she remembered them to be and he still had those purple markings. His attire had changed as well, although she hadn't expected to see him wearing the Jounin outfit of Konoha. Now he wore a crème coloured tunic, black pants and a purple _obi_. Haruka suspected that the _obi_ had no real use other than decoration. She grimaced inwardly. Since when had Orochimaru had such good fashion sense?

Aside from her cage, Orochimaru, a throne-like chair over on the other side of the room and what appeared to be a table with various... instruments on it, there was nothing else of interest in this room. Certainly nothing she could use to escape.

At least she had her clothes on, though her ninja gear was nowhere to be seen or felt. He, or someone else, probably had to strip her to get _all_of her weapons. That sent more cold shivers down her spine at the thought of her being naked and at his mercy. Whatever mercy he had.

He noticed her looking around the room and laughed again. "There's no way out. It's useless trying to escape, Haruka-_chan_."

Defeated and starting to shiver from the cold – her thin top and pants weren't much use against the chill of what she assumed was the basement – Haruka sighed and let her eyes slide closed. She sagged against the cold floor, still shivering.

Orochimaru walked up to her cage and crouched down to gaze down at her, smirking. She opened her eyes slowly.

"I'll leave you think about your position," he purred, stood and then left, still laughing.

The pain returned with a vengeance and Haruka curled up into a ball and cried out.

She stayed huddled up like that for the rest of the night, eventually slipping into an uneasy sleep plagued with nightmares.

(I)

An unpleasant scraping sound was what woke Haruka up, along with another jolt of pain. She coughed and rose to her knees, glaring angrily at the person who had woken her up.

Orochimaru merely smiled, standing near her cage. "Ohayoo, Haruka-chan."

She spat on the ground near him.

"Go to hell, you snake!" His eyes caught hers and she froze, mouth still open and ready to form more insults.

"Really, Haruka-chan," he murmured. "That tongue of yours will get you into trouble. You haven't thought about your position, have you?" He laughed. "You're at my mercy, young Haruka."

Rage overcame her and she spat at him again.

"Die!" she snarled.

"I'm glad to see the cursed mark appears to be working correctly," he chuckled. "I was afraid the preliminary version wouldn't work as well as the others."

_Cursed... mark?_ Haruka thought, but the fury and pain drowned that thought out with a buzzing sound in her mind that only increased her anger.

"I'll kill you!" she yelled and lunged for the bars. She grabbed them and electricity shot through her and threw her back onto the other side that shocked her as well. Haruka screamed and rolled off the bars, panting. Orochimaru was laughing.

"Oh my," he said finally, sneering. "You can't get at me through the bars. Poor Haruka-chan."

Haruka collapsed onto the floor, groaning. Her anger and the strength it gave her were both fading. She moaned again and struggled up. Her eyes opened and she saw her hands and gasped.

In the center of both of her palms were identical tattoo-like snakes, facing towards each other. Their fangs were bared and it looked as if they would lunge forward to attack.

"Wh... What did you do to me?" she whispered.

Orochimaru grinned madly. "Do you like it, Haruka-chan? I haven't used it on anyone yet. You're the first. You should count yourself lucky. Although, it _is_ a prototype and there are a few small errors I have to smooth out."

Sudden pain made her spasm for a moment on the floor. She glared at him weakly. "Really," she snapped. "I'd have thought the pain was a bonus."

"Oh, it is," he chuckled. "In your case at least. But I don't need my subordinates unable to do their job because of constant pain." He paused and then smiled. "The other curse marks are working brilliantly. It's just this one. I have to admit I'm puzzled as to why it won't work properly."

She exhaled heavily and shut her eyes. _Please just go away,_ Haruka willed wordlessly though she knew her silent request wouldn't be granted.

"Now, now, Haruka-chan. We haven't even started and you're worn out already?" Her eyes snapped open.

"What?" she rasped, fear starting to squirm its way into her stomach. "Wha... What are you going to do!?"

Orochimaru grinned his twisted grin. "Oh, you'll see, Haruka-chan. You'll see."


	2. II: Choices

**Chapter Two  
Choices**

Haruka stared at him, terrified, as he crossed over to the table and picked up something. It was a rather long piece of rope that he twined around his fingers almost absently, giving her a sly smile.

"Now, Haruka-chan, I'll give you a choice," his eyes glittered. "You can either be tortured frequently, or be my pet," his head tilted to the side, malicious grin in place. "Choose quickly or I will choose for you."

"I- what? You're despicable!" She shook her head angrily. "I hate you! Jiraiya-nii-san will find out that you have me here and he'll hunt you down and kill you!"

"Will he really?" Orochimaru sneered, upper lip curling disdainfully. "That idiot couldn't track an army."

"Shut up!" she yelled. "He's a better Ninja than you'll ever be!"

His eyes narrowed, slitted pupils shrinking. She choked in pain as snakes crawled all over her, wet tongues sliding over her and fangs sinking into her body. They hissed at her and she groaned and collapsed, the Genjutsu ending.

"Time's up," he seethed. "And you haven't chosen."

She gave a muffled moan as he picked up something else from the table. Weakly, she watched as he opened the cage door. He smirked and his tongue flicked out to lick her cheek before it travelled lower and wrapped around her neck, picking her up. Haruka lashed out at him but the curse mark flared and she gagged and slumped in his chokehold.

Orochimaru was busy attaching the rope to something. He finished and walked closer to her, tongue retracting with every step. She stared at the thing in his hand. It was a black dog collar, with the rope acting as a lead. Unable to cry out in anger, she thrashed and hit him in the chest with her foot.

He frowned, "Stop moving or I'll hurt you." His tongue tightened around her throat. She grabbed his tongue and continued to kick his chest, trying to hurt him but not succeeding.

"Haruka." Orochimaru tilted her chin up with his index finger. His eyes caught hers and she froze, trapped in his Genjutsu. She knew the Jutsu well enough to know it was an illusion, but the combined effects of anger, exhaustion and fear made her scream just as loudly as she had when her teammate had 'practiced' this Jutsu on her. In the world created by the Genjutsu, she died over and over again.

When the Genjutsu was dispelled, her hands were shaking slightly. It shouldn't have had that bad an effect on her, so she suspected he had given her pain enhancing drugs. His tongue retracted fully back into his mouth and let go of her neck. She dropped heavily, using the precious seconds that she had to try and get away from him. She reached the back of the cage near the electric bars before she noticed that instead of going after her, he had retreated out of the cage and was... holding... something...

Her eyes widened in realisation just as he smirked and – almost delicately – pressed and held a button on the control he was holding. The whole cage crackled with electricity. She screamed and her whole body jerked in wild spasms. She twisted around on the floor and her back arched clear off the ground before banging back down again. He released the button and the electricity danced across her skin briefly before fading away.

Haruka lay there, dazed, her body juddering ever so often.

"I'll give you one more chance." Orochimaru's soft voice penetrated her mind and she snapped out of her shock. "You can either be tortured," he paused and she could sense his smug smile, "_relentlessly_ or be my pet. Decide quickly."

"I..." She stared up at the ceiling of her cage, going quiet. His eyes narrowed impatiently.

"Time's wasting, Haruka-chan."

"I'd rather die than be anywhere _near_ you, you scum-bag!" _Zzzap!_ This time the electricity shocking her hadn't come from the whole cage. It was from the collar around her neck. She cried out and it continued for a few more seconds before it stopped.

"Torture it is then. What a pity. I was so looking forward to having you... No matter."

_Having you? He didn't..._ She paled, quickly getting up. Haruka scrutinized his face carefully, slowly moving back to the back left corner of the cage. His expression hadn't changed at all saying that and his eyes... She shivered. His eyes had a certain hungry aspect – as if she was prey and he, the predator.

"What are you g-going to do to me?" She demanded shakily.

Orochimaru smiled slowly. The sight was eerie and Haruka couldn't suppress another shiver.

"It's a secret. If I told you, it would ruin the secret now wouldn't it?" He chuckled. "But don't worry, you'll find out sooner or later."

That didn't sound good.

"I don't like lying, as you know." His eerie smile widened. "So I'll tell you when you wake up. Well, _if_ you ever wake up, that is."

Her eyes narrowed in uncertainty. "What do you-" Her sentence cut off in a scream as a pressed another button on the remote control and the cage floor literally disappeared.

Haruka fell into darkness. The last thing she heard was Orochimaru's cruel laughter.

(I)

The atmosphere in the Hokage's office was tense. The former Third Hokage – Sandaime – sighed and tilted his hat forward, leaning back into his chair. A livid Jiraiya was on the other side of his desk, two hands splayed out on the forgotten paperwork littering the desk. Tsunade leant against a wall near them, brow furrowed in worry – which, ironically, was the most emotion she had displayed ever since Dan died.

All the former members of Team Sarutobi were here – sans Orochimaru. Although, a hand-written letter lying on top of the desk was all the missing Sannin needed to be acknowledged.

"What do you _mean_ he has Haruka?" Jiraiya snapped, breaking the apprehensive silence. The older man sighed and pushed the letter forward. Jiraiya stared at it for a second before snatching it up and reading it. It was a painstakingly slow task – Jiraiya had never been one for reading – but when he finished he simply folded the letter up and ripped it to pieces.

"Jiraiya!" Tsunade spoke up – shocked – for the first time that afternoon.

"He's lying. He has to be!" He shook his head angrily. "He's toying with us and the worst part is you _know_ that and still you're letting him get away with this!"

"There is nothing we can do," Sandaime replied wearily. "We cannot track Orochimaru and I have already sent out ANBU to check..." he stopped.

"To check what? She's still here...!" Jiraiya stopped at Sandaime's wince. A look of horror dawned across his face. "You... You sent her..."

"I," the Third looked away, "sent her on a mission. She asked for one and I let her take it."

"Show it to me."

"Jiraiya, you know that missions are confi-"

"Show it to me!" Jiraiya roared, slamming the desk. "Godammit Sarutobi-sensei! If you don't show it to me now I'll go looking for her myself!"

The Hokage gazed quietly at his former student for a while before closing his eyes and picking up a discarded scroll on his desk. Jiraiya took the offered scroll and read it as quickly as he could. He threw it at the wall furiously when he finished – narrowly avoiding the newly appointed Yondaime as he stepped into the office.

"Hey! Oh man Jiraiya-sensei, that scroll nearly hit me!" Minato waited for a response from the now quivering Jiraiya, then frowned and bent down to pick the scroll up. He opened the unfortunate scroll and started to read. "What's this anyway? And why are you in office, Sarutobi-senpai?"

"Min- I mean, Yondaime, we have a bit of a..." Tsunade began.

"You!" Jiraiya yelled finally, pointing at Sarutobi. Tsunade glanced at him sharply.

"Jiraiya! Stop it!" She said firmly, putting a hand on his shoulder and gripping tightly. "It won't help us if you go off on your own."

He jerked away from her, glaring at Sandaime. "I'm leaving," he spat, turning on his heel and storming out of the office.

Sandaime sighed and Tsunade stared after Jiraiya.

"I have a bad feeling about this." She said finally.

"So do I." The two Hokages replied simultaneously.

(I)

Haruka woke, immediately rolled over and threw up. She shuddered once she was done and collapsed heavily onto her right side. Pain sliced through her and she cried out once, turning away to her other side. She whimpered pathetically as her right arm throbbed. Haruka could almost hear Orochimaru laughing at her pain.

Opening her eyes slowly, she touched along her right arm gingerly. She flinched at the pain. Her arm was broken in at least two places – hand bent back at an odd angle.

She tore a large strip off of her shirt clumsily and wrapped it around her shoulder, putting her arm inside. It made a makeshift sling – albeit not a very good one.

It was very dark here. If the place she had been in before was the dungeon, then how underground did this place travel? Haruka shuddered and curled up into a ball, half-closing her eyes. Her mind worked furiously. A slow, burning hatred for that – that _snake_ grew inside of her until it almost consumed her. Her curse mark flared on her skin as if in agreement to her hatred.

It would be a long night for Haruka – who only had the company of her misery and hatred.

(I)

Things were going smoothly for Orochimaru. He was slightly surprised that Sandaime hadn't sent umpteen numbers of ANBU to track him down and retrieve Haruka. But that was good. That meant they thought he was lying. Now Orochimaru could afford to spend more time slowly and precisely developing his village. Currently there was only one, hurriedly constructed base that he could call his village. But his village – his Otogakure – would grow and one day he would wipe out Konoha.

Although his only base wasn't exactly what he had wanted, his rule within it was supreme. Nobody dared question what he was doing with the prisoners from other nations he had in the dungeon or what he was doing with Haruka.

Ah, yes, his little... _experiment_. He was almost anxious to see whether she had survived the fall, but he needed to restrain himself. If he concentrated on her too much, he would break her too soon. It would be more fun to destroy her slowly.

It gave him a heady feeling of power when he thought about how _easily_ he could break those fools that were his former team. _And_ that stupid Minato. Just by targeting the weakest member of their group and breaking her, he was able to deal a blow – so to speak – to their 'will of fire'. He had always thought that phrase was utter crap. Where was their precious will of fire when a superior force was obliterating their village?

Haruka was an interesting specimen though. Maybe he would impregnate her. She _did_ have an excellent frame for it and he _did_ need an heir so he could take over their body. He grinned and licked his lips in anticipation. Before he did that, however, he wanted to test out her limits of pain under pain-enhancing drugs. It wouldn't really serve any purpose as the drugs had already been refined to the maximum, but he hadn't tested the new batch out on anyone yet. Perhaps he was also doing it to fuel some sadistic desire inside of him – but nobody would ever know.

He wondered if those fools were actually going to meet his ridiculous demands when they realized he had Haruka. He'd made it so they couldn't match them, but neither could they refuse – for it would be Haruka's well being on the line. Orochimaru snickered. The letter was a false hope anyway. As if he was ever going to give her back to them should they be able to get what he wanted. He had plans for his little experiment and they would not be interrupted by anyone.

Jiraiya would definitely come after him, even if Konoha didn't send anyone else. He was always such a hot-blooded idiot when it came to his precious little sister. Orochimaru contemplated what he would do in the light of that. He sighed and twisted around in the chair he was sitting in. His original body was starting to annoy him. That Jutsu was taking a long time to complete... But it would be worth it in the end. He had exceeded his body's power capacity and he wanted so badly to transfer.

But that was another subject completely. Back to the imminent problem... If Jiraiya came, then he would no doubt either get Haruka out first or attack him – depending on whom he met first. If Jiraiya attacked him, it wouldn't be a problem at all disposing of him. And he could even do it in front of Haruka... Or... He smiled, chuckling. The laughter rebounded on the walls and soon the whole room was filled with his cackling.

Oh yes, he had the _perfect_ plan for Jiraiya and Haruka.

(I)

**Sorry for the wait. Hope you enjoyed it.**


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